Did you know? Daily Caloric Expenditure by Amy

Occasionally, I (Amy) will write a "Did you know?" post on health and wellness news that I come across in trade publications or that exercise enthusiasts have asked me about. One of the most commonly asked questions is, "How can I reduce my midsection?" Guess what? Doing hours of sit-ups will not work. Adding 20 to 30 minutes of cardio daily and strength training 3 to 5 times a week will contribute to a leaner physique, but watching what goes in your mouth will make all the difference. I am not a nutritionist, so I cannot provide specific meal plans or diets, but I can give guidance on the daily ratios of carbohydrates, fats and protein.

Carbohydrates have a bad reputation, but they are actually your friend. They are the energy source most easily used by the body. I'm not talking about simple sugars, bagels and pies, but rather whole foods such as fresh fruit, vegetables and grains.

Healthy fat (omega-3, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated) is also your friend. Fat is needed for your body to function properly. Some examples of healthy fats are nuts, olive and canola oil, avocado, and the fat found in fish such as salmon and mackerel.

Protein is the building block for muscles and bones, and the necessary component for repairing tissues in the body and making hormones and enzymes. With the recent popularity of high protein diets, the suggested ratio for protein may come as a surprise to some, but evidence has shown that excess protein in the body is not beneficial for the average healthy individual.

The recommended daily requirements fall into the following ranges:

45% to 65% of calories from carbohydrates.
20% to 35% of calories from fat.
10% to 35% of calories from protein.

To keep it simple aim for 50% carbohydrates, 30% fat, and 20% protein.

What does this all mean???

First, you need to determine the approximate number of calories you burn in a day. There are many daily caloric calculators available on the Internet, but here is one from Active.com that also offers a link to a nutritional needs calculator that provides the range of carbs, fat and protein needed daily. Simply enter your gender, weight, height and activity level, hit the calculate button and voila, your daily caloric needs is provided.

The example below is for an active 45 year old female. She is 5'6" tall and weighs 140 lbs.

Once you know your number (our example is 2344), select the Nutritional Needs Calculator link below the Calorie Calculator, enter the number and hit the calculate button for a breakdown of carbs, fat and protein.

It takes 3500 additional calories to gain one pound. Therefore, the reverse is true for losing weight. Knowing the minimum and maximum grams or calories you need per day can serve as a guideline for healthy eating,and perhaps even losing a bit of that pesky midsection.